GUMS August 30, 2024 (Aug. 30, 2024)

With a little Fall chill in the air, the Dynamic Duo; Greg Young and Greg Holt were busy greeting all comers. Can next week's greeters; Frank Middleton and Curt Boell match their performance?

In the invocation by George Buzick, we were reminded that Monday is Labor Day, which "commemorates and honors those who have built, and who continue to build, this country by their labor".

We were joined by Tom Hoch, Greg Hurd and Perry Allen through the magic of Zoom.

GUEST

Our guest today, shown here with Tom Glazier, was Vern Sybesma. We welcome Vern, who is the father-in-law of our recently deceased member Todd Webster and will be speaking to our club in a few weeks about Model A Fords.

PRESIDENTS CORNER

President Casey Funk reminded us that there will be a Board of Directors meeting on Monday, September 9. There will be a revote on the question of raising dues. All are welcome to attend the meeting. but only Board members are allowed to vote.

Casey also read a note from Claire Young regarding the declining Health of long-time member, John Young. John is in hospice care with end stage Alzheimer's. Say a prayer for Claire and John.

MEMBERSHIP

President Casey honored John Burnett, a fairly new member, with a pin for enlisting a new member. Well done, John! If you bring in two additional members, you could earn the esteemed prize for three recruits—a $50 reward—which Tom Glazier received today from the Membership Chair, Frank Middleton.

TREE LOT COMMITTEE

om Kramis reports that preparation for this year's Christmas Tree lot is well underway. Trees have been ordered, the trailer has been made more "roadworthy", Santa Haus electrical system is being revamped and the Marketing Group, led by Denny Dressman has developed an excellent marketing strategy including distribution of flyer to local merchants, social media notices, and radio and TV interviewing tips. Bravo to the members of the TLC!

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY

evin Dempsey has set-up a volunteer opportunity for 5 Monaco South Optimist Club members to participate in a Habitat for Humanity build at Augustana Lutheran at 5088 E. Dakota Avenue, Denver 80246. The build will take place on Saturday, October 12, from 8:50 AM to 4:30 PM. 45 minutes will be provided for lunch. No previous experience is needed.

Each volunteer will need to register here: https://vhub.at/HolyHammers. Please select the Saturday, October 5th New Construction: Augustana event. All participants must register online at least two weeks in advance. If you do not already have a Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver on-line account, the site will ask you to set-up your account first before registering for that event. Please fill in the required information and sign any waivers, etc. Registering will provide you with site, parking instructions, describe what to bring, etc.

o Habitat Metro Denver will send you a reminder approximately three weeks in advance. Two weeks before the build day, Habitat Metro Denver will allow other individuals to fill any unfilled spots.

o All participants must register themselves. Registering online ensures that participants accept the waiver and receive information about the day, what to bring, and the location of the project.

o All participants must arrive on time. There is a mandatory orientation and safety briefing at the beginning of the day. If volunteers miss this they will not be able to participate in the build day.

Please feel free to contact Kevin Dempsey at 303-699-1629 or kmdmpsy@aol.com with any questions or for more information. Thanks!

SAVE THE DATES

Celebration/Installation Luncheon -September 28 - Heather Ridge Golf Course - 11:30-4:00 -$35

Brain Bowl -January 25 -Heritage High School - February 1- Standley Lake High School -

February 22- Hamilton Middle School (Championship)

SPEAKER

Our speaker today really needed no introduction, so he didn't get one, but went directly into explaining his Bucket List, which included (among others) Machu Picchu, Ankor Wat and Casa Bonita

Angkor Wat, a temple complex at Angkor, encompasses over a thousand structures and stands as one of the world's great cultural marvels. This vast Buddhist temple complex, located near Siem Reap, Cambodia, was constructed in the 12th century by King Suryavarman II of the Khmer Empire, who reigned from 1113 to around 1150. Initially erected as a Hindu shrine, Angkor Wat spans over 400 acres, making it the largest religious monument globally. Its name means "temple city" in the Khmer language, signifying its creation by Emperor Suryavarman II as the state temple and the empire's political hub.
Initially consecrated to the Hindu deity Vishnu, Angkor Wat transitioned to a Buddhist temple by the late 12th century.
Though no longer functioning as an active temple, Angkor Wat remains a significant tourist site in Cambodia, even after suffering considerable damage during the Khmer Rouge's despotic reign in the 1970s and from previous regional conflicts.

Casey said he saw few Americans in Cambodia and that the people are extremely poor. Their houses are built on stilts to protect the people from tigers. Although Casey did see Ta Prohm (The Jungle Temple) featured in the movie Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, he did not see Angelina Jolie, nor did he see Indiana Jones, but did fulfill one more of his Bucket List items.

Angkor Wat | Description, Location, History, Restoration ...

DRAWING

With only four cards left in the deck, the Six of Diamonds should have been easy to find, but Jim Svenson and Mike McMahon couldn't do it. Phil Perington, by virtue of his name tag, got a shot and pulled the Six. Congratulations to Phil for winning $20!